Stop mechanism for jar filling machines



M.KRUPKE STOP MECHNISM FOR JAR FILLING MACHINES Filed Sept. 26. 1949 Dec. 14, 1954 2 Sheetszsheet l ai l C J J A NNI Nmw

Dec. 14, 1954 M. KRUPKE sToP MECHANISM FOR JAR FILLING MACHINES Fild sept. 2e. 194s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States ICC] 2,696,903: l smi MEvcia-ANiSM FOR JAR-FILLING Merton Krupke, Tacoma, Wash., assignor tolallys, Inc., Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application September 26, 1949, Serial No. 117,833

3 Claims. (ci. 19a-37) The invention relates to stop means for a motor operated iilling machine for containers, but more particularly to machines adapted to ll open mouthed jars with edible foods such as salad dressing of the mayonnaise type in which the jar is of glass and provided with a suitable closure after passing the depositing mechanism. of the filling apparatus, and has for its objects the provision of such a stop mechanism which will be simple o f structure, economical to manufacture and highly efficient 1n use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. g

In the handling of such foods, such as mayonnaise dressing, a missing jar or a broken top to a jar will allow the material to spill onto the traveling mechanism and associated parts, necessitating the shut down of operations and the cleaning of the machine before returning to operation, as will be readily understood.

The invention comprises the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be bestunderstood by reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a plurality of rows of jars as arranged for simultaneous filling in approaching to the filling station; a

Figure 2 is a rear View of Figure 1, showing each row of jars arranged in traveling position toward the filling station;

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a control arm in operative position for the filling of a jar; and

Figure 5 is a side view of a control arm iii which position the machine is inoperative and the circuit to the motor is closed. b

The drawings forming a part of this application are to a limited degree schematic and illustrate by broken line (Figs. l and 2) a plurality of jars 10 arranged in trans- F` verse alignment on six moveable belts 11 traveling in u nison over the load platform 12 of a conventional machine for the purpose. The jars while empty, are carried on the belts 11 to a loading station (not shown) where each jar in a transverse row is filled simultaneously. To insure n that a complete row of jars 10 arrive at the loading station,

each belt 11 is associated with a spring operated microswitch 13 which is in closed circuit with a motor (not shown) operating the belts 11. Such a motor drives the belts 11 through conventional pulleys (not show n) and power to the motor is controlled by the micro-switch 13. The closed circuit is maintained through each microswitch 13 by control lever 14, rotatively pivoted at one end on a fixed horizontal shaft 15 and extends forwardly in the direction of travel in vertical alignment with the belts 11 and the jars 19, and is arranged to glide over the tops of the jars 10 when in motion. By this arrangement the circuit is kept closed when the jars 10 form a complete transverse row. If and when it so happens that the row of jars 10 is not complete, the forward end 16 of the arm 14 falls by gravity and allowing the micro-switch 13 to open; as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The micro-switch members 13 and the necessary wiring 17 and 18 therefor, are carried in an elongated housing 19 having a cover 20 fastened by screws 21. Each of the micro-switches 13 is provided with a downwardly depending push rod 16 in operable contact with its respective control lever 14. The housing 19 is attached at its ends to rearwardly and outwardly extending brackets 22 in operative alignment with the pluralities of belts 11 mounted on opposite sides to suitable standards 23. By means of ,j 2,696,903 `iiafeiited Dec. 14,` 1954 2 suitable-slots 24fin the brackets/22.and boltsV 25', the bracketsunimay beadj'ustediias totfspace relative toy ,the topsurface belts-:11; to `thahof thetops `of the jars 10. Referringlto Figures 3 and. i,- eaehtofthe brackets 22 isprovided withy `aiiliole26 intoiwhich is loosely iittedand outwardly turnedpivot `ends 27 of a downwardly extended arm ."ZSnof faarodi 29? which extendsti'ansversely in parallel alignment :withiY saidfhousing 19, and rearwardly of push rods 1'6. 'The operative adjustment of said rod 29 is suchff-that it will pass over the top.` of jars 10 carriedion l the: belts Ehi l'The .hoizizorital shaft.-15:=is provided `with threaded ends, mounted in downwardly depending brackets 30 fastened by screws 31 to the ends of the housing 19 by clamping screws 32. The threaded ends of the shaft 45 are rigidly held by nuts 37. A T flange bearing bracket 34 is attached intermediate the brackets 30 to the bottom of the housing 19 by screws 32. The adjustinent is such that the rod 29 will pass the top of the jars 10 in the transverse row without restricting the operation of any one of the push rods 16, should any one of the arms 14 be lowered because of the absence of a jar 10 in any transverse row.

The control levers 14 which are rotatably pivoted on the fixed shaft 15 are held in spaced alignment by ring clamps 35 having set screws 36, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

When in use the device serves to eliminate time consuming stops that occur when one or more jars are missing on the filler platform 12. When this happens, a considerable amount of product is discharged directly on the conveyor and must be cleaned up before the machine can be put in operation again. The missing jars may occur for various reasons, such as defects in glass causing them to collapse along the line, defective or rough edges on bottoms, causing them to stick or retard the flow of jars. Inadvertent operation may start a machine with insuicient jars on filler platform 12.

While I have illustrated and described practical means for carrying my invention into use, this is capable of variations, modifications and alterations of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement of parts but desire to avail myself of such changes and alteration as may fall within the scope of interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a conveyor for use in a container-filling machine the improved mechanical stop mechanism comprising a pair of standards in spaced relation mounted in supporting position adjacent the sides of a jar supporting platform; a rearwardly extending bracket on each of said standards; a housing mounted between the outer ends of said brackets; a plurality of micro switches each having a downwardly projecting reciprocal circuit-controlling push rod arranged in spaced relation mounted in and proy jecting from said housing; there being suitable openings in the bottom of said housing; a fulcrum shaft mounted in spaced and parallel alignment with the bottom of said housing longitudinally; a forwardly and downwardly projecting control lever for each circuit-controlling push rod mounted in vertical and spaced alignment and pivoted at a rearward end to said fulcrum shaft and in close proximity with the forwardly adjacent circuit controlling push rod; and a forwardly end of each control lever positioned to be elevated by the uppermost portion of each jar in succession in its respective row to maintain a closed circuit with said micro-switches.

2. The construction specified in claim l in which a horizontal transverse rod is pivotally suspended below each of said control levers to operationally limit the said switches over each of said rows, a fulcrum shaft Number Name Date mounted below said support member adjacent and par- 1,149,018 Beregh Aug. 3, 1915 allel thereto, a plurality of downwardly and rearwardly 1,332,264 Laporte Mar. 2, 1920 extended control levers hinged to said rod, each lever 1,393,276 Fuller Oct. 11, 1921 being arranged over one of said rows of containers, and 5 2,082,048 Everett June 1, 1937 a lvlr suaiilaortlingd rod extenling trarsxerse t) said legers 2,202,073 Wollenweber May 28, 1940 an inge y xe at its en s to sai atera y exten ing brackets for limiting the free fall of said control levers so FOREIGN PATENTS as to retain them out of contact with said platform. Number Country Date l0 4,011 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1897 References Cited in the le of this patent of 1897 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Da te 701,248 Bannon May 27, 1902 15 

